Roberts and Niles are champions
HAVING lost last year’s final to Accounts Department’s Orlando Milner, Sports Department’s Calvin Roberts rebounded to claim the junior title while Production’s Garfield Niles was crowned the Veterans champion, when the Guyana National Newspapers Limited (GNNL) post-Mashramani Internal table-tennis tournament served off last Thursday at its Sports Club in Lama Avenue, Bel Air Park.
Roberts faced his nemesis in Advertising’s Keiton Nelson who had defeated Milner in their semi-final match-up, in the final and had no problems, as he claimed the title with straight sets victory with the score reading 11-8, 11-5.
In the Veterans category, Niles who was given a bye to the final after his first round opponent in Sports Department’s Michael Da Silva was a no-show, had a tough battle with his sub-ordinate James Leach before he came out on top of the closely fought encounter 11-8, 11-9.
Prior to the finals, Milner was the lone player in the junior category to advance without lifting his racquet, as his first round opponent Duane Prince suffered an injury to  his  right shoulder.
Roberts and Nelson disposed of Layout’s O’Neil Rodney and Production’s Raul Butler in straight sets with the respective scores reading 11-2, 11-2 in favour of Roberts and 11-9, 12-10 in favour of Nelson, before Roberts went on to defeat Advertising’s Calvin Marks 12-10, 11-7, while Nelson defeated Milner 6-11, 11-8 and 13-11 in their semifinal matchup.
In the third place playoff, Milner, who had travelled over 16 hours prior to the commencement of the tournament, defeated Marks 11-9, 8-11 and 11-7, once again leaving Marks to settle for the fourth place position.
But the match of the evening came from the Veterans, with Leach and Sampson Neblett throwing everything they had to offer at each other, especially in the first set which was won by Neblett, who pronounced himself the champion, 11-6.
A determined looking Leach rebounded in the second set and raced to a 7-0 lead, before Neblett who began to show signs of tiredness, managed to win a point.
Leach increased his lead to nine points at 10-1, but Neblett, who got a second surge of wind from nowhere, fought back to take the next two points, but that was as far as he got, as one of Leach’s round arm loops, caught him on the back foot, as the ball made its way past him to level the sets.
There was no doubt who wanted the victory more in the third and final set as Leach did not let off and raced to a 9-0 lead before Neblett, who looked as if he had given up at 6-0, won two more points, but the writing was on the wall for him as Leach closed off things to advance to the semis.
In the other Veteran’s category match-up and in what was termed the battle of the drivers, a red-hot Ishwar Persaud was sent to the cold room by a calm-looking James Johnson who came away with a 11-3, 11-9 victory.
Johnson, who picked up the third place prize of a trophy and $3 000 compliments of King of Kings Cuisine and Jewellery Establishment, lost his semi-final match-up to Leach 3-11, 11-7.
Roberts carted off the top prize of $12 500 and a trophy, compliments of Medicine Chest, while Nelson took home $7 500 and a trophy and Milner $5 000 and a trophy, also with the compliments of Medicine Chest and the kind courtesy of Arron Fraser who is contending for the presidency of the Guyana Table Tennis Association.
Niles carted off as trophy and $7 500 compliments of Humphrey’s Bakery and Farm Products Limited, leaving Leach to settle for the runner-up prize of $4 500 and a trophy.
The tournament was organised by both Roberts and Milner, with the former expressing heartfelt thanks and gratitude to the Chairman of GNNL Mr Keith Burrowes and the General Manager Nankumar Puran for their generosity, as well as the members of the GNNL Sports Club Committee and the players for making the tournament a successful one.